The TReX blends RC, analog, and serial inputs for a powerful motor control solution capable of delivering a continuous 13 A per motor. The TReX will work right out of the box as an electronic speed control (ESC), but its ability to seamlessly transition between RC/analog and serial control makes it capable of so much more!

A Novel Blend of Serial, RC, and Analog Motor Control

The TReX Dual-Motor Controller is a versatile, high-power DC motor controller designed to seamlessly blend autonomous and human control of small- and medium-sized robots. The TReX can control two bidirectional and one
unidirectional motor via three independent control interfaces:
radio control (RC) servo pulses, analog voltage, and asynchronous serial (RS-232 or TTL). It maintains compactness through a two-board design that features the VNH2SP30-based Dual High-Current Motor Driver Carrier
as its bottom layer. (For a lower-power version of the TReX, please consider the TReX Jr).

The TReX uses five input channels to receive the RC or analog control signals. When operating in RC or analog mode, the five channels function as follows:

Channel 4: can be used to enable “flipped mode”, which allows invertable robots to be controlled as normal when they are inverted

Channel 5: determines whether the motors are controlled by the channel inputs or the serial interface; this channel allows you to switch between autonomous and human control at will

The serial interface can switch instantly with one of the other two interfaces, allowing mixed autonomous and remote control. For example, a robot could be configured to run autonomously most of the time, but a human operator could override the autonomous function if the robot gets stuck or into a dangerous situation. If the serial mode is selected as the primary interface, high-resolution measurements of all five channel input signals (be they RC pulses or analog voltages) are made available to the autonomous robot controller, allowing for complex and unlimited mixing of operator control and sensor input. For example, the TReX would be a great motor controller for a remotely controlled balancing robot.

Pololu TReX Dual Motor Controller with labels

Technical specifications

Dimensions

1.9" x 1.9" x 0.8"

Supply voltage

6 – 16 V

Primary motor outputs

2 bidirectional, 30 A peak, up to 13 A continuous per channel (may be combined to control 1 bidirectional, 25 A continuous)

Safety features

Note: The TReX does not require use of the serial interface to function; it will work right out of the box as an electronic speed control (ESC). You will not have access to the full suite of features the TReX provides if you do not make use of the serial interface, though.